Reclosable dispensing container with snap locking top tab



June 11, 1968 s. R. KOOLNIS 3,387,763

RECLOSABLE DISPENSING CONTAINER WITH SNAP LOCKING TOP TAB Filed Oct. 25,19s? 2 Sheets-Shet 1 H37 F/G./ fl W INVENTOR. STANLEY R. KOOLNIS BYZ Q%ATTORNE June M, 1968 s. R. KOOLNIS 3,387,763

RECLOSABLE DISPENSING CONTAINER WITH SNAP LOCKING TOP TAB Filed Oct. 23,1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR.

STANLEY R. KOOLNIS 1 6 ATTORNEY Uted ABSTRAQ'I OF THE DISCLOSURE Thisinvention relates essentially to a reclosable container including a topwall comprising an inner and outer panel adhesively secured at selectlocations, a pair of spaced retainers projecting from said top wall anda tab extending from the outer panel of said top wall, whereby thecontainer may be reclosed after initial opening by the positioning ofthe said tab between said pair of spaced retainers.

Cross reference to related application This application is acontinuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 516,058 filedDec. 23, 1965, now Patent No. 3,348,754.

Background of the invention This invention relates generally tocontainers, and is especially concerned with containers of thereclosable dispensing type.

Prior art containers of this type have not been especially effective inthat they did not provide for a simple positive reclosure of a containerafter it had been opened.

From the teachings of the prior art, one could provide effective meansfor reclosing after initial opening. However, the method for the initialopening was either too complicated or too exacting and the tendency onthe part or" the user was to open the package in a method other thanprescribed by the manufacturer, thus negating the possibility of usingits reclosable feature. Still other prior art devices required anexcessive amount of additional paperboard to be used in the manufactureof the container so as to make such containers impractical from aneconomical point of view.

Summary It is an important object of the present invention to provide acontainer construction having a reclosable dispensing structure which iseasily opened from the initially sealed condition, and also equallyeasily closed to provide an effective rescaling of the container.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a reclosaolecontainer wherein an openable closure, after initial opening thereof,may be positively retained in its reclosed condition to preventinadvertent opening thereof.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide areclosable container having the advantageous characteristics mentionedin the preceding paragraph, which is capable of inexpensive massproduction while affording durable and reliable protection for thepackaged contents, and which may be set up and filled by use ofconventional packaging machinery.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon readingthe following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings,which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will beexemplified in the construcrates Patent M 3,387,763 Patented June 11,1968 tion hereinafter described, and of which the scope will beindicated by the appended claims.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a plan view showing ablank adapted to be formed into a reclosable container in accordancewith the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view showing a reclosable container of thepresent invention as formed from the blank of FIGURE 1, and in itssealed condition;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view similar to FIGURE 2, but showing thecontainer in its open condition for dispensing;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing thedispensing structure of the container of FIG- URES 2 and 3 in a reclosedcondition;

FIGURE 5 is a partial sectional view taken generally along the line 55of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a partial sectional view taken generally along the line 66of FIGURE 4.

Description of the preferred embodiments Referring now more particularlyto the drawings, and specifically to FIGURE 1 thereof, the blank isthere generally designated 10, and may be integrally fabricated of asingle sheet of stiff bendable material, cut and scored to provide theblank. In particular, the blank 10 may include a first, relatively largemain panel 11 of generally rectangular configuration, being boundedbetween a side edge 12, side told 13 parallel to and spaced from saidside edge, and a pair of lower and upper end folds 14- and 15 extendingin parallelism with each other between opposite ends of the side edge 12and fold 13. A first auxiliary panel 16 of generally rectangularconfiguration is hingedly connected to the panel 11 by the side fold 13,being longitudinally coextensive therewith, and is bounded between thefold 13, a side fold 17 parallel to the fold 13, and a pair of lower andupper end folds 13 and 19 extending in parallelism with each otherbetween opposite ends of the folds 13 and 17. In addition, the panel 16may be provided, at a location contiguous to the end fold 19 andextending longitudinally inward therefrom, with an area 20 ofnonadhesive securement, such as provided by a coating of varnish, or thelike. The nonadhesive coating 20 may be provided at spaced locationsthereabout with a plurality of uncoated spots 21 for detachable adhesivesecurement thereto, as will appear more fully hereinafter.

Extending from the fold 17 of panel 16 is a second main panel 25, ofgenerally rectangular configuration substantially congruent to that ofpanel 11 and longitudinally coextensive therewith, The panel 25 isbounded Within the fold 17, a fold 26 parallel to the fold 17, and apair of lower and upper end folds 27 and 28 extending in parallelismWith each other, generally normal to and between opposite ends of theside folds 17 and 26. An additional generally rectangular auxiliarypanel 29 extends from the fold 26 of panel 25, being longitudinallycoextensive therewith, and is bounded within the fold 26, a fold 30parallel to the fold 26, and a pair of lower and upper end folds 31 and32 in parallelism with each other and respectively extending betweenopposite ends of the side folds 26 and 30. A glue flap 33 may extendfrom the panel 29, being connected thereto by the fold 30, and beingsubstantially longitudinally coextensive therewith.

Extending from the lower end of panel 11, being connected thereto by thetold 14 and longitudinally coextensive therewith, is a generallyrectangular panel 35 having ears 37 extending from opposite ends. Thepanel may be formed with a cutout 38, as required by certain packagingmachinery.

Similarly, the panel is provided at its lower end with a generallyrectangular panel 39 hingedly connected by fold 27 to the panel 25 andcoextensive with the said connecting fold 27. A flap 40 may extend fromthe lower end told 18 of auxiliary panel 16, and a flap 41 may extendfrom the lower end fold 31 of panel 29.

Extending from the upper end fold 15 of panel 11, and generallycoextensive with the fold 15, is a panel 42 of generally rectangularconfiguration similar to that of panel 35. The panel 42 is bounded onits outer side by an edge 43 extending generally parallel to and spacedfrom the fold 15, which may have a cutout 44, as required by certainpackaging machinery. At one end of panel 42, a fold 45 may extend normalto and between the told 15 and edge 43, in substantial alignment withthe edge 12. At the other end of the panel 42 there is provided on edge46 generally parallel to the fold 45 and in substantial alignment withthe told 13. However, the edge 46 terminates at its opposite endsadjacent to and spaced from fold 15 and edge 43. Extending from theinner end of edge 46 adjacent to fold 15 is a generally convex edge orcut 47 extending to the juncture of folds 15, 13 and 19, and definingtherewithin a projection 48 on the panel 42.

Similarly, from the other, outer end of edge 46, there extends a cut oredge 49 of generally convex configuration terminating at the edge 43 insubstantial alignment with the fold 13 to define a projection 50 on thepanel 42. The projections 48 and 50 are thus spaced laterally from eachother, projecting beyond the end edge 46 of the panel 42.

The panel 42 is further formed with a pair of weakened portions orseverance lines 57 and 58 extending from opposite ends of edge 46longitudinally inward of the panel 42 and in convergent relation witheach other, terminating in a transverse fold 59. Thus, the portion 60 ofpanel 42 intermediate weakened lines 57 and 58, is swingable out of theplane of panel 42, upon severance of lines 57 and 58, about a hinge axisof fold 59.

Extending along each severance line 57 and 58, just outward of panelportion 60, are a pair of relatively nonadhesive surface areas or zones61 and 62. The zones 61 and 62 each extend from the distal. end of therespective adjacent projection 48 and St), to the adjacent end of [oldline 59, and may be coated with relatively nonadhesive material, such asvarnish or the like.

A generally rectangular panel 70 extends from the fold line 28 of panel25, being generally coextensive therewith. The panel 70 is bounded onits outer side by an edge 71 parallel to the fold line 28, and boundedat one end by an edge 72 in alignment with the fold line 26. Adjacent tothe fold line 17, the panel 70 is bounded by a fold line 73 insubstantial alignment with the fold 17 and terminating at its oppositeends adjacent to and spaced from the respective fold 28 and edge 71.From opposite ends of the fold line 73 there extend generally convexedges 74 and 75, respectively terminating at the fold line 28 and edge71. The convex edges 74 and 75 define thcrewithin projections 76 and 77extending in spaced relation beyond the fold line 73.

Extending outward from the fold '73, and connected to the panel 70 bythe latter told, is a tab 52, which is of a generally trapezoidalconfiguration, tapering outwardly away from the fold 73. Morespecifically, the tab 52 is configured to extend partially along and inconforming relation with each edge 74 and 75, so as to define a pair ofoutwardly extending side portions or wings 53 and 54, whence the tab 52tapers outwardly away from the fold 73. If desired, an additional fold55 may extend transversely across the tab 52 to provide a finger-pulltab end portion 56.

The panel 70 is further formed with a pair of generally parallelseverance lines or weakened portions 51 and 63 extending in substantialparallelism inward of the panel from opposite ends of the fold line 73.At the inner terminal of severance lines 51 and 63 there may be provideda fold line 69 extending between the severance lines. Thus,

bounded within the severance lines 51 and 62, and between the fold lines69 and 73, there is defined a portion 78 of panel 70 swingable relativeto the panel about fold line 69 upon severance of lines 51 and 63.

Extending from the fold line 19 of panel 16 is a flap or car 64. The ear64 extends from the fold line 19 to the adjacent side edge of tab 52.Formed in the car 64 are a pair of spaced weakened portions or severancelines 65 and 66, each extending from spaced locations along the foldline 19, generally normal thereto, to the adjacent edge of tab 52. Thefold 19, between the severance lines 65 and 66 is also sevcrable, as at67, to define between the severance lines a severable portion 68.

In addition, an ear or tab 79 extends from the fold line 32 of panel 29.

In the assembled or set-up condition of blank 10, the panels 11, 16, 25and 29 are swung about fold lines 13, 17 and 26 to define peripherallyextending side Walls, and the glue flap 33 is adhesively secured to thepanel 11, along the edge 12. Further, the tabs 40 and 41 are swunginwardly about folds 18 and 31, while the panels 35 and 39 are swunginwardly about their folds 14 and 27, the panel 39 being adhesivelysecured .in overlying relation with respect to the panel 35, and theears 37 being swung upwardly and adhesively secured to the adjacentside-Wall panels 16 and 29, as seen in FIGURES 2 and 3. The tabs 40 and41 may be adhesively secured to the underside of panel 35. In thismanner, the panels 35 and 39, and flaps 18 and 41 combine to define abottom wall for the set-up container 80 of FIGURES 2-6.

At the upper end of the container 80, the flaps 64 and 79 are swunginwardly, while the panel 42 is swung inwardly about its fold line 15and the panel 70 is swung inwardly about its fold line 28 into overlyingrelation with the panel 42. The flaps 64 and 79 may be adhesivelysecured to the underside of panel 42. Adhesive means are employed toadhesively secure the panel 70 in its overlying relation with the panel42, whereby the panels 7 0 and 42 combine to define upper and lower orouter and inner layers of a top wall for the container 80. Adhesive maybe applied over substantially the entire inner surface of panel 70, andthe latter applied to the outer surface of inner panel or layer 42 foradhesive securement to the latter, except in the nonadhesive zones 61and 62.

It will now be appreciated that the projections 76 and 77 respectivelyoverlie projections 48 and 50, being generally congruent thereto, andare adhesively secured in their overlying relation to definedouble-thickness projections.

It will also be apparent that the panel portion 78 of panel 70 overliesand is secured in facing engagement with the portion 60 of panel 42,except for the unsecured zones 61 and 62. Further, the tab 52 extendsdownward from fold line 73 and is detachably adhesively secured to theadjacent portion of panel 16 which defines a side wall of the container80. The detachable securement of tab 52 is to the coated side-wallregion 20, as at the spots 21. In this manner, the container 80 iseffectively sealed, and its contents protected until the container isopened.

Opening of the container may be very simply accom-. plished. by manualgrasping of the tab pull portion 56 to detach the tab 52 from thesidewall 16 and swing the tab upward about its fold line 73. Upon upwardswinging of the tab 52 into generally coplanar relation with thetop-wall panels or layers 42 and .70, the tab wings 53 and 54 aredisplaced outward of the projections 77, 48 and 76, 50, so that thewings are not retained by the projections. Thus, upon further upwardswinging movement of the tab 52, the portion 78 of outer top-wall layer70 will be swung upward about fold line 69, as by severance of weakenedlines 51 and 63, the portion 60 of inner layer or panel 42 swingingupward by its securement to the underside of panel portion 78, and theflap portion 68 swinging upward with and being adhesively secured on theunderside of the portion 60, upon severance of lines 65, 66, and 67.That is, severance will be eiiected of lines 57 and 58 to swing thepanel portion 60 with the panel portion 78, the zones 61 and 62 beingunsecured to the panel portion 78. As the severance lines 57 and 58 arespaced laterally apart generally less than the lateral spacing of theseverance lines 51 and 63, the panel portion 78 will extend laterallybeyond the panel portion 60 to overlie the zones 61 and 62, except whenthe tab 52 is swung upwardly beyond the top wall, as in FIGURE 3.

That is, PEGURE 3 illustrates the open condition wherein the contents ofcontainer 80 may be dispensed through the opening between severancelines 57 and 58.

Reclosure is effected by merely swinging the panel portion 78, and withit the panel portion 60 and flap portion 68, into their previouslyclosed position. In this condition, the panel portion 78 overlies thezones 61 and 62 to provide a highly effective and protective closure ofthe container opening. Further, the tab 52 is swung downward below theprojections 48, 77 and 50, 76, along the container side wall 16, as seenin FIGURES 4 and 5. It will there be observed that the wings 53 and 54of tab 52 extend laterally outward into position beneath respectiveprojections :8, 77 and 5d, 76, so as to be retained thereby againstunintentional opening of the container. Of course, re-opening may beeffected in the same manner as described hereinbefore, however, it willnot be necessary to again sever the severance lines.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides areclosable dispensing container which fully accomplishes its intendedobjects and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture,setup, filling and use.

Although the present invention has been discribed in some detail by wayof illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, itis understood that certain changes and modifications may be made Withinthe spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A reclosable container comprising: a bottom wall; a plurality of sideWalls upstanding from said bottom wall extendin about the peripherythereof; a top wall extending across the upper ends of said side walls,said top wall comprisin a pair of inner and outer layers adhesivelysecured in overlying relation; a pair of spaced retainers projectingfrom at least one of said layers of said top wall, generally coplanartherewith, beyond the adjacent side Wall; a tab extending from saidouter layer of said top wall between said retainers and hingedlyconnected to said outer layer for swinging movement through the spacebetween said retainers; said inner and other layers of said top wallbeing formed with severance lines extending inwardly from opposite sidesof said tab, the top-wall portion between said severance lines defininga closure openable upon severance of said severance lines for swingingout of the plane of said top wall; said tab being movable with saidclosure; wings on said ta-b for movement therewith into and out ofretaining engagement beneath said retainers; and said wings being inedge-toedge conforming engagement with said retainers when coplanartherewith.

2. A reclosable container according to claim 1, a pair of spacedretainers projecting from both of said inner and outer layers.

3. A reclosable container according to claim 2; the severance lines onsaid inner layer being spaced laterally inward of the severance lines onsaid outer layer, thus to define a shelf portion on said inner layer;the laterally extending portion of said outer layer being unsecured tothe shelf portion of said inner layer for overlapping closing relationtherewith.

4. A reclosable container according to claim 2, said tab being hingedlyconnected to said top wall at a location inward of the projecting endsof said retainers, for swinging movement of said wings into and out ofsaid retaining engagement beneath said retainers.

5. A reclosable container according to claim 2, said tab beingdetachably secured in overlying relation with said adjacent side wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 25,449 9/ 1963 Gill 229-172,35 8,923 9/ 1944 Guyer 229- 2,812,127 11/ 1957 Graybill 229173,187,978 6/ 1965 Graybill 229-47 3,270,941 9/1966 Barnes 229-173,346,166 10/1967 Koolnis 229-47 3,348,754 10/ 1967 Koolnis 229-17 DAVIST. MOORHEAD, Primary Examiner.

